Help Me, Baby Ain't No Stranger
by Sambethe
Summary: "If I have been unkind, I hope you can just let it go by. If I have been untrue, I hope you know it was never to you." It's been 10 years since she left town with little explanation.


Emma stepped out of her car and before she could close the door she heard the muffled strains of the opening riff to 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking?' in the distance behind the house. She smiled and closed her eyes a moment, letting the music wash over her. She swayed and shut the door with her hip before opening them again to give the house a once over. The color of the shutters had changed and one of the front pines was missing, but otherwise the cedar clapboard house looked just as she remembered.

She followed the path around back. If the Rolling Stones were playing, there was only one place Killian would be. Rounding the winding flagstones, the Jolly Roger's mast pole came into view. Another turn and the dock stretched out before her. She caught sight of him as he ran a rag along her railings and danced to the music.

She bit back a laugh and took a few moments to watch him. He seemed to have put on weight, but it suited him. He was still all long-limbed, but not as lanky as she remembered. He wore a pair of rolled up, faded jeans and a dark grey hoodie that was only half zipped. His dark hair was cut short, a far cry from the floppy mess that used to cover half his face.

She stepped out onto the dock, stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.

Killian started and his hand slipped mid swipe, causing him to bump an arm against the railing.

"Bloody hell!" he cried, rubbing his elbow. "What are you thi-" he faded off as she watched recognition cross his face. "Swan?"

Emma smiled and stepped towards the boat.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

It took him an extra beat, but Killian leaned over and reached out a hand, pulling her into a hug as she stepped onto the deck.

* * *

She hadn't even told Mary Margaret she was coming. She'd just grabbed clothes blindly from her closet and dresser, shoved them in a couple duffel bags, and loaded up her car. It wasn't until she found herself in Hartford that she realized where she was heading. She thought about turning around or re-directing herself west. Instead, she pulled into the next gas station to grab herself a cup of coffee.

She filled one of the largest cups they had, added three packets of sugar and creamer, and grabbed a bag of chips on her way to the register. When she got there, she regretted her choice to stop as she saw the photo on the front page of the magazine the clerk was reading.

If the clerk noticed Emma's hand shake as she shoved a five dollar bill in her hand, she didn't let on.

* * *

 _Emma landed in Storybrooke at fifteen. It was her third group home in two years. She arrived in late August, just before the school year started. The town lay along the bay, across from Acadia National Park. It was probably the prettiest place Emma had been placed, but that was of little comfort as she unpacked her knapsack and surveyed her bunk. She was the oldest in the home by 2-3 years, which served to make her feel all the more alienated._

 _When school started it took her a week to talk to any of the students, and even then it was only when cornered. She had been sitting on the bleachers during lunch, idly picking at her ham sandwich with her right hand while holding open a battered copy of '1984' with her left. She felt someone sit down behind her._

 _"Mr. Richards, huh?"_

 _Emma turned her head. "Wha-" she started as she found herself faced with girl with dark brown hair with two large, bright red streaks running down the front._

 _The girl smiled. "I'm Ruby." She tilted her chin towards Emma. "And that's Killian."_

 _Emma hadn't heard anyone else approach, but she turned back to find a boy sitting next to where her feet were propped on the row below her. He didn't turn to look at her, just kept staring out across the field. He did, though, offer a brief backwards wave of his hand._

 _Ruby crawled down a row so that she was sitting next to Emma. "Thought I saw you in class. You're new here right?"_

 _Emma nodded and scooted over a bit._

 _"He's not so bad, once you get used to him. A lot of essay work. Could be worse. What's your name?"_

 _"Emma," was her only reply._

 _Ruby gave her another wide smile. "Nice to meet you, Emma."_

* * *

Emma ran her fingers along the Jolly's railing as she stared out at the stretch of the bay before her. It felt cool and solid - exactly as she remembered it. She felt a brief pang at the thought that it had been ten years since she had last been aboard this boat.

"I think she missed you too, Swan."

Killian leaned back against the railing next to her and nudged her arm with his. He held out a bottle of beer towards her. Emma smiled and accepted the offer. She took a long swig, closed her eyes and hummed.

"Can't believe you still have her."

"Wouldn't trade her for anything," he replied at a near whisper.

They stood like that for a while, leaning in opposite directions, drinking their beers. Emma was a little suspicious at how calmly Killian was taking her appearance at his proverbial doorstep.

"I was thinking of taking her out. Want to -"

Emma pulled her phone out of her pocket and stared down at the clock. Eleven am. She'd been awake nearly 28 hours. Her last coffee had been a couple hours ago - a stop outside of Augusta - and the beer was making her feel woozy.

"Tempting, Jones, but I was hoping I might talk you into lending me your couch for a few hours. At least until Mary Margaret gets off of work."

He nodded and pushed himself off the railing. "I can do you one better."

* * *

Killian dug around the closet and pulled out a couple towels, handing them over to her.

"The bed's made up."

She watched him tilt his chin towards the door to her room. At least what had been her room, once upon a time. Killian turned without a word and went back down the stairs.

Her hand hesitated on the knob, but she breathed out and turned it. Emma was greeted by the same deep gold walls but the plastic shelves and mattress on the floor had been replaced with a couple wooden dressers and a bed on an actual frame. A familiar patchwork comforter ran along the foot of the bed and she flopped back onto it.

She thought about changing out of her clothes and then remembered she left all her bags in the car. She settled for kicking off her shoes and pulling the comforter with her as she crawled up the bed. She turned once she hit the pillows and found herself face-to-face with a smiling, 17-year-old version of herself sandwiched between Killian and Liam, both of them sticking their tongues out at her.

She reached out and ran her finger along their faces before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 _"Emma?"_

 _Emma grunted but didn't pick her head up off the floor. She let the music flow over her and wished she could figure out some way to take another sip of her drink without moving._

 _Mary Margaret prodded her with her toe. "You going to answer me or am I going to have to get Neal to pry it out of you?"_

 _Emma glanced over to where Neal and Killian were passed out on the couch. "He looks unlikely to help you, M."_

 _She heard Mary Margaret sigh. "Come on," she whined._

 _Emma grimaced. She'd just as soon ignore her 18th birthday._

 _"What are we talking about?" Ruby asked, walking back in from the kitchen and flopping down on to her spot on the floor._

 _"Emma's unwillingness to give us any ideas for what to do for her birthday next month."_

 _Emma stood abruptly, ignoring the way it made her head spin. "I've got to get going. Will be late for curfew." She rustled around under the chair for her shoes and was pulling them on when she heard Killian say, "Wait, I'll walk you."_

 _She watched as he swung his legs over the edge of the couch and ran his fingers through his hair._

 _"Thought you were asleep."_

 _A wave of his hand was his only response as he shuffled towards the front door._

 _They walked in silence most of the way to her house. It was only when they turned down her street that Killian spoke._

 _"Liam and I talked."_

 _Emma looked over at him. "Huh?"_

 _"Liam. He thought you could come stay with us." He kicked a stone down the street. "You know. After."_

 _She stopped walking and grabbed his arm so he was forced to turn and face her. "What do you mean?"_

 _"We have that third bedroom," he started while pushing his fringe away from his face. He looked her straight in the eye. "It's still empty. We decided it's yours, if you want it."_

 _"You can't be serious."_

 _Killian frowned at her. "He wanted to talk to you himself, but I reckoned after all of Mary Margaret's talk about your birthday, you might want to hear it tonight."_

 _Emma wanted to scream, but settled for bouncing on the balls of her feet. She then lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing tight._

 _"How -" she started and heard her voice crack. She stopped and breathed out before starting again. "How did you know I'd need someplace to go?"_

 _"Liam deserves the credit on this one, Em." Killian pulled back and wriggled his eyebrows at her. "However, I am happy to accept any form of gratitude you wish to bestow on his behalf."_

 _Emma reached out, planted the palm of her hand against Killian's cheek and gave him a small shove. "Nice try, jerk. Tell Liam I'll come over on Sunday. I'll even cook him bacon."_

 _Killian laughed. "What about me?"_

 _"If you're lucky, Jones, we'll let you watch us eat."_

 _She didn't wait for his response before taking off up the driveway to the home. As she turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door, she smiled._

* * *

Emma wasn't sure what time it was when she woke up. The room was near dark and her phone was dead. She could hear voices drifting from downstairs, but she was in no rush to move. Instead she stretched out her legs and flexed her feet. She was turning over to her side in hopes of falling back asleep when she heard the doorknob turn and the door creak open.

"Emma?"

Emma froze. Killian had called Mary Margaret. _Of course, he did_ , she thought. It was what she'd wanted, he'd have known that. _How did he still know that?_

The bed dipped and Emma felt Mary Margaret crawl in behind her. An arm came across and settled against her stomach before pulling her back. Despite herself, Emma sighed and wrapped her hand around Mary Margaret's.

"I'll stay as long as you need."

Emma sighed again, gave her friend's hand a squeeze, and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Daylight was creeping through the blinds when she woke again. It took her a moment to remember where she was.

"Hey there."

Emma startled at the sound of Mary Margaret's voice. "Hey," she replied and ran her hand over her eyes. When she opened them, she found Mary Margaret perched in a chair tucked into the corner of the room with a book in her hand.

"Feel like some breakfast? Ruby said she'd hold us a booth."

Emma sat up and pushed herself back up against the headboard while she watch her place the book, folded open to save her spot, on the nearest dresser. "Ruby knows I'm back?"

"She was with me when Killian called."

Emma nodded. "Do I have time for shower?"

Mary Margaret laughed. "Take all the time you want. Like Granny would ever deny you anything."

Thirty minutes later Emma found herself sliding into the passenger seat of Mary Margaret's car. She combed her fingers through her still damp hair while adjusting her seat belt across her shoulder.

"Where's Killian?"

Mary Margaret shrugged as she pulled the car out of the driveway. "He was gone before I got up. Boat's not at the dock. He probably took folks out touring."

Emma didn't respond; she wasn't sure if she should read anything into his absence. He was so calm at her appearance yesterday. Too calm. Shaking her head, she turned to focus on the passing scenery, trying to catalogue the changes - or lack thereof - that ten years wrought. As they turned down Main Street, though, she gasped. While the outskirts of town near Killian's had barely changed, here there were twice as many shops as she remembered lining the street with smatterings of people wandering along it.

Mary Margaret pulled into a spot in front of the diner. Emma gave it a once over as she stepped out of the car. Again, here, it was as if time had stopped - green fencing lining the patio, grey stucco, and the blue metal sign hanging above the door. Summers spent draped across the picnic tables came flooding back to her and she nearly stumbled at the ache the memories produced.

She felt Mary Margaret come up beside her and tug at her elbow. "No point delaying the inevitable."

"Says you."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes and held open the door. Emma barely stepped through the threshold before she was tackled by 120 pounds of enthusiasm and flying brown hair.

"Emma!" Ruby shouted as she wrapped her in a hug. "I can't believe you're here. Granny's going to so mad that she went down to Portland today. You look fantastic."

Emma stepped back and gave her a tight smile. "Thanks. Any chance you can talk the cook into making us some pancakes? I know it's kinda late for breakfast."

Ruby laughed. "I'm pretty sure today you could ask for a seven course meal and we'd accommodate it. Saved the booth at the back for you both." Emma nodded and looked over to see Mary Margaret already weaving her way towards it. Before Emma could follow, Ruby reached out and squeezed Emma's arm. "Seriously, Em. I'm so glad you're back."

* * *

 _"You planning to take up the whole table with those ridiculous textbooks?"_

 _Emma pushed her glasses back up her nose and found Killian sliding into the booth across from her and August talking to Ruby at the counter._

 _"Some of us might actually need to study."_

 _Killian turned her history textbook around and flipped through the pages. "No one needs to study this much, Swan," he said, waving his hand at the pile of books in front of her. "It's Friday night. Exams don't start until Wednesday."_

 _Ruby walked over with a pot of coffee and a mug for Killian. She placed the mug down and set to filling it along with Emma's empty one._

 _"We got plans for tonight?" she asked._

 _"Studying," Emma bit out while lifting the mug to her lips._

 _August finally made his way over and sat down next to her. He reached over and tipped the book in front of her closed as he nudged her shoulder. "Give it a rest, Emma. Come out with us tonight and Killian here will tutor you all you like Sunday."_

 _"Oi!" Killian cried. "Why are you assuming I don't plans?"_

 _August raised an eyebrow and Killian relented with a nod at Emma. "At your service."_

 _Emma reached across to pull her book back from him. She knew she was outnumbered. "Fine," she sighed. "Give me two hours."_

 _"Yes!" Ruby cried and walked back towards the counter. "I'll call Mary Margaret and tell her we'll pick her up at 7," she called back behind her._

 _Emma turned back to her book and sipped on her coffee, letting the Killian's and August's continued conversation fade into background noise. She hoped Killian's world history notes were better than hers, otherwise she was completely screwed._

* * *

Once they wrapped up their late breakfast, Emma and Mary Margaret spent the rest of the afternoon wandering down Main Street poking through the shops and nursing more coffee in the to-go cups Ruby packed them off with. They eventually found themselves on a bench in the park next to the marina, watching the sailboats bob along the bay. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, until interrupted by the buzzing of Mary Margaret's phone. She pulled it from her pocket, smiled and then typed out a brief message.

"I'm supposed to meet David for dinner," she said once she looked up. "You'd be welcome to -"

Emma shook her head. "Not that I'm not curious to meet the man who makes you smile like that, but I've hijacked enough of your day."

"Nonsense. I'm glad to have been hijacked. I've missed your face. The random postcards and texts, they've never been nearly enough."

Emma reached out and squeezed her hand. "I missed you too."

Mary Margaret pushed a tear away from her eye and smiled. "Ok. But don't think this gets you out of explaining why you are back."

Emma took a deep breath. "I know," she whispered, frankly surprised Mary Margaret let it go this long.

"I saw a couple magazine covers yesterday."

She felt a tear run down her own cheek. "I figured."

Mary Margaret didn't comment further. Instead she pressed a set of keys into Emma's hand. "David's going meet me in town. You can take my car back to Killian's."

Emma closed her fingers over the keys. "Text me tomorrow?" she asked as she stood.

"Of course." Mary Margaret got up and offered her a hug.

Before Emma could pull away, Mary Margaret whispered, "Be careful with him, Em. The last few of years - since Liam - they haven't been easy."

Emma sighed and sank back onto the bench as she watched Mary Margaret walk back towards the square.


End file.
